Firestik CB Antenna Install

[Snooperstyle]

Installed Firestik 2' CB antenna using the Firestik hood-seam-mounted bracket. I had to bend it a lot to get it to be how it is here. It is extremely high quality solid aluminum, and I had a heck of a time bending it how I needed it. This will not work without bending it as far as I can tell. I like this mod because I can easily remove the mount if I want, and also it's easy to replace the 2' antenna with a 4' one in the event that I want to do that. Because I'm lazy, I just jumped the wires off of the back of the cigarette lighter plug, and stuffed the connectors to the Midland up inside the side of the console. On the antenna spring, I just taped it up with electrical tape, because I couldn't' figure out how to paint something like that. I did paint the antenna mount parts that would be visible. I have ordered a black tip to replace the red one, FYI. This setup results in the antenna being about and inch or two higher than the Baja rack and it barely fits in my garage, but does. It would be cool is somebody on here fabbed up a similar mount to this and sold them, but I don't have the skills!

 

[Snooperstyle]

 

[Qjake]

Or you could've got the AM/FM/CB spliter and put it in the stock location.

Kinda defeats the whole stubby antenna idea. :shrug:

 

[Snooperstyle]

oh my, I didn't know about that option! Doh! I feel stupid now.

Thanks.

 

[Vegas]

Great write up!

 

[homeyclaus]

oh my, I didn't know about that option! Doh! I feel stupid now.

Thanks.

Don't. The combined AM/FM/CB antennas are a PITA to tune right, and even so, don't work as well as a Firestik or Larsen Kulrod. Badly tuned antennas tend to shorten transceiver amp life a lot.

 

[Ryan1975]

oh my, I didn't know about that option! Doh! I feel stupid now.

Thanks.

I have a HAM radio and went the same route you did for my CB radio...wish I had gone the other route. CB is garbage to listen to though.

 

[Qjake]

Don't. The combined AM/FM/CB antennas are a PITA to tune right, and even so, don't work as well as a Firestik or Larsen Kulrod. Badly tuned antennas tend to shorten transceiver amp life a lot.

It's made for the Firestik/FirestikII CB antennas.

The "Match-Maker" is the perfect accessory for people who want to use their standard ground plane dependent Firestik, Firestik II or Firefly CB antenna for CB and AM/FM radio. Unlike the "receive only" antenna that is needed by the AM/FM radio, a CB radio requires an antenna that is resonant (on frequncy) within the CB band. If you only want one antenna, then the only wise and/or safe choice is to use a CB antenna and the Match-Maker CB/AM/FM splitter. Installation is easy too! Simply disconnect the antenna coax from the CB and screw it to the Match-Maker. Then, screw the Match-Makers PL-259 lead to the CB and put the pin-plug into the AM/FM radio's antenna input socket. Both coaxial leads are 18" (46cm)long. The two circuits are seperated with frequency specific filters which allows the CB to be heard and used even while the AM/FM radio is operating. The Match-Maker has seperate tuning pots (adjustable capacitors) for both the CB as well as the AM/FM radio. An adjustment tool and instructions are provided to help the user optimize the performance of both the CB and the AM/FM radio.

 

[eddiebx]

It's made for the Firestik/FirestikII CB antennas.

I recall Harper had this installed and I think he said the reception kind of sucks...

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/58587-ideas-shorter-antenna-18.html#post1090381

 

[Snooperstyle]

Ok so i read some stuff. Looks to me like [MENTION=8206]harper7[/MENTION] was unhappy because the 2' Firestick was not clearing his roof enough due to mounting location, and not necessarily due to the splitter. He says something about CB reception behind him being poor. Id be willing to bet that i am getting similar 'unsatisfactory' reception without splitter, but i have yet to do a lot of tuning and field tests. Maybe he will chime in on this. I just ordered a splitter too, and I will do a comparison test FWIW.

Does anybody know if the stock location is strong enough for a four footer? Also, has anybody run this splitter on stock nav unit?